Really poor service from Apple when I ordered - What do I do?

[danielbriggs]

Hi!

I'm a bit miffed, as I've never owned an iPod, (as i've used Archos' etc) but I thought I would take the plunge and buy one. So I treated myself to an 80GB beast!

I orded on the 18th of Sept. and there was a 2 day wait. OK, fine!
On the 20th, it was dispatched and apparently I should have recived it within 3 days.

So now some 8 days after it should have arrived, i'm a bit worried. So I phoned Apple, and told them the same. Gave them my tracking number etc. and they don't know where it is either, i've phoned several times, and they all are puzzeled, as NO ONE know's what's going on with it!!!

I've used the UPS tracking number and gone to the UPS website and appartently the tracking number is invalid!!!


So what do I do?
BTW: They have taken payment.


It's not a good sign for a first order of a Mac switcher, as I want to order my new MBP when it is released

 

[iMeowbot]

It seems that the real problem is that Apple and you got really poor service from UPS.

 

[danielbriggs]

It seems that the real problem is that Apple and you got really poor service from UPS.

UPS won't speak to me unless I have a tracking no.
Apple are scratching their heads.

Where can I take this??????
I don't want any fuss or stuff, I just want my iPod


Dan

 

[riciad]

Didn't you try the tracking number when it first shipped?

I'm always clicking away as soon as I get a number and would have got onto Apple straightaway if it was invalid.

 

[iMeowbot]

Hey, welcome to the shiny new global economy :/ You already have three companies involved here: Apple, the manufacturer in China, and UPS. I'm sure they will make good on your order as soon as the others confirm that they lost it...

 

[danielbriggs]

I'm just a bit miffed, I ordered the 80Gb and some iPOd socks

The socks are apparently shipping by UPS and the iPod by "Merge in Transit" whatever that means.

I can't find a company called "Merge in Transit"

Please someone advise!!!!

 

[bluewire]

I'm just a bit miffed, I ordered the 80Gb and some iPOd socks

The socks are apparently shipping by UPS and the iPod by "Merge in Transit" whatever that means.

I can't find a company called "Merge in Transit"

Please someone advise!!!!

Call Apple, ask to speak to a manager, do not relent or let them brush you aside.

They will take care of you, don't worry. Make sure you have your order #.

 

[iMeowbot]

MIT is a service offered by shippers. Usually, it means that an order made up of parts from more than one location will be put together by the shipper and delivered in one drop.

I can't imagine why this would be used for an iPod and socks, though... and if you live in that Bay area, it's not as though you are in some remote location that makes single-part shipping prohibitive

 

[danielbriggs]

Call Apple, ask to speak to a manager, do not relent or let them brush you aside.

They will take care of you, don't worry. Make sure you have your order #.

I will do that tomorrow when they are open, as they have closed now.
Thanks!

iMeowbot - Thanks for letting me know what that meant! I live just on the edge of Manchester, so it's not as if i'm in some place like the north pole!

 

[plinkoman]

Given my experience with UPS, I'm going to guess it is their fault, not apples.

what I would do is call apple first and make sure you have the right tracking number etc...

if so, call UPS and see if you can't get them to talk (though I wouldn't count on it).

if they can't/wont help, call apple back, talk to a manager, and explain that you verified your number with them(apple), but UPS refused to do anything about it; and see what they(apple) can do for you.

good luck.

 

[danielbriggs]

Given my experience with UPS, I'm going to guess it is their fault, not apples.

what I would do is call apple first and make sure you have the right tracking number etc...

if so, call UPS and see if you can't get them to talk (though I wouldn't count on it).

if they can't/wont help, call apple back and explain that you verified your number with them(apple), but UPS refused to do anything about it; and see what they(apple) can do for you.

good luck.

Will Do!

I appriciate that it may not be 100% apple's fault, but they are the retailer so at the very least know where my iPOd is!

But i don't think that a shipping hiccup is going to put me off buying a new new MBP when they are out! Afterall how long do you have your laptop for? and how long do you spend ordering it and waiting for it? the first out weighs the latter!


Thanks all!

Dan

 

[bluewire]

Will Do!

I appriciate that it may not be 100% apple's fault, but they are the retailer so at the very least know where my iPOd is!

But i don't think that a shipping hiccup is going to put me off buying a new new MBP when they are out! Afterall how long do you have your laptop for? and how long do you spend ordering it and waiting for it? the first out weighs the latter!


Thanks all!

Dan

Yeah don't let this discourage you. IN FACT, whoever you spoke with at Apple that rudely brushed you aside, I'd make a note of it and tell that manager. That should not be the case. I have been an Apple customer since I was 11 years old, I've owned several computers and I've never had anything but the best from them. Let them know you are a recent switcher too, I'm sure they'll deal with the rude rep. That just makes no sense if the UPS tracking # is wrong, Apple should get you the right #.

 

[Sayer]

This sounds like an incident of theft by the shipper, to me. Both OEMs in China/Taiwan/Korea and shipping companies have rampant theft (esp. Airborne Express).

Basically someone along the line takes your order to sell on eBay or in the black/gray market.

While working for a Palm PDA distributor we had a shipment come in from China directly that had an entire box (12-ish) PDAs completely empty inside a very large palette of hundreds of units. Someone took the full box and replaced it with an empty box that was properly sealed and whatnot.

Someone from Palm routinely went on eBay and found stolen PDAs for sale, he even bought one to verify it was a real Palm PDA. Palm tracks all serial numbers so they could tell which units were missing from shipments very easily, and of course find them later on eBay.

Even truck drivers will steal things unless the trailer is sealed/locked by the company.

Apple is not immune from this kind of problem, so blaming Apple for it is really silly. It happens, a lot, to every big company with overseas manufacturing of desirable products like iPods.

 

[iMeowbot]

iMeowbot - Thanks for letting me know what that meant! I live just on the edge of Manchester, so it's not as if i'm in some place like the north pole!

Oh, Manchester, I was only a few thousand miles off -- looked at the wrong name in the left margin

 

[danielbriggs]

Arghhhh!!!

I offically hate ALL apple phone people. I've been trying for hours to speak to someone. I've been transfered to the US! Denmark! numerous menus that loop through and through unless you hang up. e.g Press 1 to.. so you do that, then you get "Press 1 to..." Argghhhh!!!!

Then: I get through to someone called Darren who I explain my problem to, and while I'm talking to him, he tranfers me to somewhere else. No joy there, so I phone back, and suprise suprise get through to Darren again, who transfers me as soo as I start speaking!!!!

I'm not at a loss of what to do, and I am thinking about caneling!

 

[Synapple]

Well, it won't make your case any better but I need to rant a little bit so let me share my experience with you.

I ordered a 30GB 5.5G a couple of weeks ago and after 24 hours I was given a tracking number and the iPod was shipped.
I was left wondering how amazingly fast that was until I started tracking the item.

After leaving Shanghai, it came straight to its final destination point (Rome, Italy) in like 1 day. Suddenly, it appeared refused at the destination and was flown back to China
Ok, I thought, it's gonna come back as fast as the first time.
Instead, it went from Shanghai to Pudong (which I assume is in China as well). From Pudong to Frankfurt (Germany). From Frankfurt to Arnhem (Holland). Form Arnhem to Liege (Belgium). And then it disappeared. Literally disappeared!

I've contacted TNT and they won't speak to me 'cause I am not their direct client (Apple is)

I've contacted Apple and they won't speak to me 'cause it's a TNT problem which they can do nothing about.

I tried cancelling the order as I could go to the local store and get a new iPod in 30 seconds but they won't let me 'cause the product is engraved and has already been shipped.
I don't know what to do as my iPod has flown through 5 countries and then vanished.
I plan on calling Apple again after the weekend.

Lol, sorry I'm not able to offer you any advice but I needed to vent

 

[danielbriggs]

Synapple, that is really unlucky. At least you could track your order, my tracking number didn't exist on the courriers site!!!!

If you are in the UK, try phoning the CAB, Citizen's Advice Beaurau to find out what to do next.

Dan

 

[Synapple]

Synapple, that is really unlucky. At least you could track your order, my tracking number didn't exist on the courriers site!!!!

If you are in the UK, try phoning the CAB, Citizen's Advice Beaurau to find out what to do next.

Dan

Yeah, I'll see what I can do on Monday...
I think I'm pretty safe as I had a tracking number and I've actually been following my poor iPod travelling like crazy around the world before disappearing... I think it'll just be a matter of time before it pops in front of my door or they send me another one...
It's just so damn frustrating that one must wait sooooo long for a freaking iPod!

Keep us posted on your situation! Hopefully a tracking number appears for you as well...
All in all, also from other posts in the macbook section of the forums, my impression is that the shipping service for Apple products has been pretty piss poor lately...

 

[danielbriggs]

Yeah, I'll see what I can do on Monday...
I think I'm pretty safe as I had a tracking number and I've actually been following my poor iPod travelling like crazy around the world before disappearing... I think it'll just be a matter of time before it pops in front of my door or they send me another one...
It's just so damn frustrating that one must wait sooooo long for a freaking iPod!

Keep us posted on your situation! Hopefully a tracking number appears for you as well...
All in all, also from other posts in the macbook section of the forums, my impression is that the shipping service for Apple products has been pretty piss poor lately...

I've just been on the phone to them, and it turns out my iPod is in a warehouse in the UK somewhere, and is ready to be packed. Which is really confusing as they said they had already packed it!!! I kicked up a fuss on the phone and got put through to a supervisor, and he assured me it would arrive on Monday, Tues at the latest. So I'll keep you posted!

 

[danielbriggs]

Hi again!

OK, the latest on my order, if anyone is remotley interested.

OK, got a UPS tracking number, tracked on the web to manchester etc. Due for delivery today. I knew I wouldn't be in! So got home and there was a yellow slip to say I missed it. I phoned up and asked it to be delivered on Thursday. OK, no probs

Working away on my PC the door goes. To my supprise the UPS guy is there with 2 parcels. Great!

Signed for them and took them upstairs. Opened 1, they were my iPod socks! Yes! Opened the other: a Kensington sound dock.!!!!!! What!

Checked the pack slip, and it WAS for a sound dock for someone else that lives like 5 mins from my house!!!

So I got on the phone to UPS and they are going to call me back to sort it out.

What a mess.

My first order, all went wrong by apple and by UPS, Plus someone has a nice 80GB iPod with my name on!!!

Dam


Dan


(P.S. In a week, i'll look back at this and laugh!) - I hope!